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Glite Dictionary
Colossus of Rhodes

Colossus of Rhodes

9.9
A huge bronze statue of the sun god Helios at Rhodes harbour destroyed by an earthquake after fifty years
  • proper noun
translation icon : Coloso de Rodas
  • After standing for just over five decades, the Colossus of Rhodes was destroyed by an earthquake.

Examples

  • The Colossus of Rhodes was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

  • The Colossus of Rhodes was an iconic statue dedicated to the sun god Helios.

  • Many historians debate how the Colossus of Rhodes actually looked and where it stood.

  • The Colossus of Rhodes was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

  • Did you know that the Colossus of Rhodes stood approximately 33 meters tall?

  • Tourists from around the world visit the site where the Colossus of Rhodes once stood.

  • According to legend, the Colossus of Rhodes was so large that ships could pass between its legs.

Synonyms

colossus
vsColossus of Rhodes
2 6.7

A very large statue or thing that is big and important

is a famous giant bronze statue built at a harbor around 285 BC

Surface Forms

Colossus of Rhodes main

Morphology

colossus + of + Rhodes

The phrase is compositionally straightforward: 'colossus' denotes a very large statue and 'of Rhodes' identifies its location, so a learner who knows the parts can infer it refers to a large statue at Rhodes. While historical specifics (bronze, Helios, Seven Wonders) require prior knowledge, the basic referent is directly derivable from the constituents and common noun+of+place patterns cross-linguistically.

Etymology

Colossus of Rhodes was a huge bronze statue of the 'sun god' Helios that stood at the island's 'harbor entrance', so ships would see the Colossus as a big welcome to Rhodes. It fell in an earthquake after about 50 years, and today the name makes us think of something very large, famous, and impressive.